OAN Roy Francis
9:34 PM – Saturday, May 13, 2023
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper vetoed a bill which would ban abortion after the first trimester on Saturday.
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The 12-week abortion ban bill was attacked by Democrats in the state legislature and labelled as “a complicated and confusing monster bill” which made patients “navigate a wicked obstacle course just to get care.”
The governor vetoed the bill at a rally on Saturday in Raleigh, North Carolina saying that the Republicans are “standing in the way of progress.”
“Standing in the way of progress right now is this Republican supermajority legislature that only took 48 hours to turn the clock back 50 years on women’s health,” Cooper (D-N.C.) said. “Let’s be clear: This bill has nothing to do with making women safer and everything to do with banning abortion.”
The Republican-led Senate passed the 46-page bill earlier in May by a vote of 29-20. After the bill was passed, the Governor promised to veto it. Although Republicans currently hold a veto proof majority in the state, the Governor called on four moderate Republicans to support his veto.
The four Republicans that the Governor has called on include Representatives Tricia Cotham (R-N.C.), John Bradford (R-N.C.), who represent Mecklenburg county, and Representative Ted David (R-N.C.), and Senator Michael Lee (R-N.C.) who represent New Hanover County.
“If even just one Republican in either the House or the Senate keeps a campaign promise to protect women’s reproductive health, we can stop this ban,” Cooper said. “There are four legislators who made these promises, but I think there may be more who know in their hearts and minds that this is bad.”
If the bill successfully passes, it would bring the abortion restriction from 20 weeks, to 12 weeks “with exception for rape, incest, fatal fetal abnormalities and to save the life of the pregnant person” according to Politico.
The bill would also require the patient to have an in-person consultation with a doctor at least 72 hours before receiving the abortion. It would also direct $160 million in funding towards maternal care, adoption care, contraceptive services, and paid leave after the birth of a child throughout the state.
Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, North Carolina has seen a dramatic increase in abortions as surrounding states in the south have passed restrictions and bans on abortion. According to Politico, “nearly 5,000 more abortions were performed in the state in the six months after the court decision.”
The vetoed bill now heads back to the general assembly where the Republicans hold a slim majority and are able to override the veto if enough votes are gathered.
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